Spark plug container



1954 B. c. ROEHRL SPARK PLUG CONTAINER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 12,1951 attorney 0d. 5, 1954 B- ROEHRL 2,690,947

SPARK PLUG CONTAINER Filed Dec. 12, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 3mnentor 85 weW Patented Oct. 5, 1954 UNITED STATES TENT OFFICE SPARK PLUG CONTAINERof Pennsylvania Application December 12, 1951, Serial No. 261,315

8 Claims.

It is desirable that articles such as aircraft spark plugs be kept insealed moistureproof containers which can be easily, but notaccidentally, opened and which preferably can be re-used. It is alsodesirable that the container have visual indication that the containeris in proper condition to protect the spark plugs. The containers shouldbe adaptable to the various sizes of spark plugs. This invention isintended to meet the foregoing requirements.

In the drawing, Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section through a container;Fig. 2 is a fragmentary side view; Fig. 3 is an end view with theclosure removed; Fig. 4 is an enlarged side view of the closure; andFigs. 5 and 6 are top and bottom views of the closure.

The main body I of the container is designed especially for aircraftspark plugs and is preferably made of a material having low vaportransmission such as polyethylene. is inserted into the body of thecontainer in an inverted position with the terminal or top 3 toward thebottom of the container. Adjacent the bottom of the container are aseries of inwardly projecting ribs 4 which engage and center the top 3of the spark plug. Certain of the ribs 4 are provided with projections 5of greater height which engage the smaller diameter tips of certain ofthe spark plugs. The ribs 4' together with the projections 5 accommodatethe presently available spark plugs. Shoulders 6 and l on the ribs andprojections 4 and 5 keep the spark plugs slightly above the bottom ofthe container thereby permitting free circulation of air about the sparkplug. From one aspect the ribs 4 can be considered as stepped to providethe shoulders 1 and the extensions 5.

The top of the container is closed by a stopper which comprises acup-shaped cap 8 having side walls 9 telescoped within the side walls [0of a cup-shaped rubber sealing gasket l I. On the inner and outersurfaces of the side walls It are staggered annular ribs I2 and I3 whichmake sealing engagement respectively with the outer surface of the walls9 on the cap and with the inner surface of the container body. Thestaggering of the ribs l2 and I3 provides sufiicient flexibility so thatadequate sealing contact is provided in spite of variations indimensions. At the top of the walls [0 of the sealing gasket is anoutwardly projecting rim or flange H! which rests on the upper end l5 ofthe container body. The rim I4 is of slightly larger diameter than theoutside diameter of the cap 8 so that in removing the stopper, the rimforms a natural gripping surface and A spark plug 2 the user has notendency to grip the cap 8 and thereby possibly remove the cap from thesealing gasket. To further insure against removal of the cap from thesealing gasket, the inner surface of the gasket opposite the rim I4 isprovided with a plurality of annular ribs l6 which are not primarily forthe purpose of sealing, but are primarily for the purpose of insuring atight fit of the cap 8 within the sealing gasket ll so that the two willremain in assembled relation. The rim It on the sealing gasket is cutaway at H to receive two upstanding wings l8 at opposite sides of thecontainer body. These wings are molded integral with the body and haveopenings 1 9 which snap over catches 20 projecting outward from the cap8. The wings I 8 have sufficient flexibility so that they can be pushedoutward oil the catches 2|], but will remain in place so as to preventaccidental removal of the stopper closure.

The sealing gasket H has a bottom wall 2! on which rests a piece ofporous paper 22 which provides free access of air into the interior ofthe cap 8 through openings 23 in the wall 2|. Prior to assembly, the cap8 is filled with a desiccant 24 such as silica gel and when the cap istelescoped into the sealing gasket I I, the silica gel is kept withinthe capby the porous paper 22. The silica gel keeps the air within thecontainer dry and thereby provides proper storage conditions for thespark plugs. The condition of the silica gel can be observed through thecap which is ordinarily made of translucent polyethylene. silica gelchanges color as it absorbs moisture, being blue when dry, and whitewhen no longer useful for absorbing moisture. To aid in determining whenthe silica gel is no longer useful, a piece of colored paper is placedso as to be visible through the cap. When the color of the silica gelcorresponds to the colored paper, the silica gel is no longer usefuHowever, by baking in an oven, the silica gel can be reactivated withoutdisassembling.

The side walls In of the sealing gasket H extend below the wall 2| andare shaped so as to grip and. center the threaded ends of various sizedspark plugs and at the same time to provide for free circulation of airfrom the interior of the container through the openings 23 to the silicagel housed within the stopper. The spark plugs having larger diameterthreaded ends are received on shoulders 24 and are frictionally grippedby the depending arcuate sections 25 below the shoulders 24. There areslots 26 which extend through the lower ends of the Walls I0 to a pointslightly above the shoulders 24 so as to provide spaces 21 through whichair can circulate to and from the silica gel when the spark plugs withlarge diameter threaded ends are in place. The spark plugs with smallerdiameter threaded ends are received against inwardly offset surfaces 29.Above the spaces 21, the slots 26 do not extend through the walls Illbut merely become grooves 260. radially outward of the surfaces 29 whichprovide for free circulation of air to the silica gel.

Because the container body is made of translucent material, it ispossible to have an interior label carrying a legend identifying thespark plugs. This label can be made from heavy paper 39 and received ina recess 3| in the outer surface of the gasket l l. The legend-carryingpaper 38 is below the portion of the gasket carrying the sealing ribs [3and accordingly does not interfere with the sealing function.

This container will keep spark plugs in usable condition for a longperiod of time even if the container should be immersed in water.Furthermore, immersion can have no efiect upon the internal label, whichis visible through the side walls of the container, so that it is alwayspossible to tell what spark plugs are in the container without opening.The condition of the spark plugs can be visually determined by the colorof the silica gel visible through the top wall of cap 8. So long as thesilica gel is blue or reddish, the spark plug is in suitable condition.The flexible wings l8 securely hold the stopper closure in place andprevent all but intentional opening of the container. The flexibilitypermits outward movement of the wings to clear the catches 20 so thatthe container can be quickly opened when desired. However, no amount ofjarring will accidentally displace the wings so that the stopper closurecan come out of the container body.

What I claim as new is:

1. In a spark plug container, a cylindrical body of imperviousmoistureproof material for receiving a hollow desiccant containingstopper closure for the uuper end of the body, said closure having a cupshaped member of resilient material such as rubber with an outwardlyextending flange seated on the upper end of the body and with the sidewalls of the cup in sealing engagement with the inside of the body andthe bottom of the cup presented toward the bottom of the body andprovided with openings for circulation of the contents of the containerinto contact with the desiccant, said stopper having depending annularwalls of resilient material such as rubber fitting over and gripping anend of the spark plug, and slots in said wallsprong for the circulationof air.

2. In a spark plug container, a cylindrical body of a moistureproofplastic elastomer, a stopper closure for the body comprising a cupshaped cap telescoped into a cup shaped sealing gasket, the cap andgasket being in opposed relation and when telescoped providing adesiccant receiving cavity, the gasket having its bottom wall presentedto the bottom of the body and its side walls in sealing engagement withthe inside of the cylindrical body openings in the bottom Walls of thegasket providing for circulation of air to the desiccant, and annularwalls on the gasket depending around and centering one end of aninserted spark plug.

3. In a spark plug container, a cylindrical body of a moistureproofplastic elastomer, a stopper closure for the body comprising a cupshaped cap telescoped into a cup shaped sealing gasket, the cap andgasket being in opposed relation and when telescoped providing adesiccant receiving cavity, the gasket having its bottom wall presentedto the bottom of the body, its side Walls in sealing engagement with theinside of the cylindrical body openings in the bottom wall of the gasketproviding for circulation of air to the desiccant, annular walls on thegasket depending around and centering one end of an inserted spark plug,said walls being internally stepped to receive plugs of varyingdiameters, and axial slots in the walls providing for circulation of airpast the centered end of the spark plug.

4. In a container for elongated articles, a hollow cylindrical body ofimpervious moistureproof material, circumferentially spaced longitudinalribs integral with and extending inwardly from the side of the bodyadjacent the bottom of the body for engaging and supporting one end ofan inserted article in spaced relation to the side and bottom walls ofthe body, a hollow desiccant containing stopper closure fitting into thetop of the body, said closure having on its inserted end openings forcirculation of the container atmosphere into contact with the desiccant,and said stopper having on its inserted end longitudinally extendingfingers circumferentially spaced around the inside of the body andproviding an article receiving pocket spaced inward from the side wallsof the body and from said openings in the closure. 7

5. In a container for elongated articles, a hollow cylindrical body ofimpervious moistureprooi material, a stopper closure fitting into thetop of the body, said closure having a cup shaped rubber member with anoutwardly extending flange seated on the top of the body and with theside walls of the cup in sealing engagement with the inside of the bodyand with the bottom of the cup presented toward the bottom of the bodyand provided with air circulating openings, a complementary memberfitting within the top of the cup shaped member and providing adesiccant receiving space, said cup shaped member having on its insertedend depending annular walls providing an article receiving pocket, andslots in said walls providing for the air circulation.

6. In a container for elongated articles, a hollow cylindrical body ofmoist-ureproof plastic elastomer, a stopper closure fitting into the topof the body, said closure comprising a cup shaped cap telescoped withina cup shaped sealing gasket of resilient material such as rubber, thecap and gasket being in opposed relation and when telescoped providing adesiccant receiving cavity, the gasket having its bottom wall presentedto the bottom of the body and its side walls in sealing engagement withthe inside of the cylindrical body, openings in the bottom wall of thegasket for circulation of the container atmosphere into contact with thedesiccant, and annular walls on the asket depending below its bottomwall and providing an article receiving pocket.

'7. In a container for elongated articles, a hollow cylindrical body ofmoistureproof plastic elastomer, a stopper closure fitting into the topof the body, said closure comprising a cup shaped cap telescoped with acup shaped sealing gasket of resilient material such as rubber, the capand gasket being in opposed relation and when telescoped providing adessicant receiving cavity, the gasket having its bottom wall presentedto the bottom of the body and its side walls in sealing engagement withthe inside of the cylindrical body, openings in the bottom Wall of thegasket for circulation of the container atmosphere into contact with thedesiccant, and annular walls on the gasket depending below its bottomwall and providing an article receiving pocket, said walls beinginternally stepped to receive articles of varying diameters, and axialslots in the walls providing for circulation of air past the centeredend of the article.

8. In a container, a hollow cylindrical body of moistureproof plasticelastomer, a stopper closure fitting into the top of the body, saidclosure having a cup shaped rubber member with an outwardly extendingflange seated on the top of the body and with the side walls of the cupin sealing engagement with the inside of the body and with the bottom ofthe cup presented toward the bottom of the body and provided with aircirculating openings, a complementary member fitting within the top ofthe cup shaped member and providing a desiccant receiving space,integral upstanding flexible Wings at opposite sides of the top of thecontainer body, said flange having notches receiving the wings, andcatches on said complementary member of the closure cooperating with thewings to releasably hold the closure against accidental removal.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 929,842 Eckert Aug. 3, 1909 1,049,903 Norton Jan. 7, 19131,156,074 Hahn Oct. 12, 1915 1,614,807 Stewart Jan. 18, 1927 2,056,253Carroll Oct. 6, 1936 2,081,138 Andersen May 25, 1937 2,396,491Chamberlain Mar. 12, 1946 2,466,875 Brandt Apr. 12, 1949 2,546,599 HicksMar. 27, 1951 2,548,168 Luce Apr. 10, 1951 2,585,938 Jordan Feb. 19,1952 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 2,626 Great Britain 1887 80,635Sweden Apr. 13, 1934 225,154 Great Britain Nov. 27, 1924

